Koh Lipe for Snorkelers and Divers: The Best Underwater Spots on Thailand's Southern Gem
Let me be direct: Koh Lipe's underwater world is the reason to visit. The beaches are beautiful, the Walking Street is fun, the sunsets are reliable — but the coral reefs in the Tarutao National Marine Park are what set this island apart from every other Thai beach destination.
I've snorkeled and dived across Southeast Asia, from to the Philippines, and 's combination of accessibility, diversity, and clarity puts it in the top tier. Here's a focused guide for anyone who cares most about what's below the surface.
First, the Tarutao National Marine Park — 51 islands with some of Thailand's healthiest coral reefs. The park status means fishing is restricted, which means more marine life.
Second, the house reef. Most Thai islands require a boat ride to reach good coral. Koh Lipe has snorkeling 20 meters off Sunrise Beach. Walk in from shore and you're over reef.
Third, visibility. During peak season (November-April), visibility regularly exceeds 20 meters. At Koh Rok, it can hit 30 meters.
Top Snorkeling Spots
1. Sunrise Beach House Reef
Access: Walk in from shore
Depth: 1-5 meters
What you'll see: Table coral, brain coral, clownfish, parrotfish, damselfish, occasional pufferfish
Gear: Rent on Walking Street (THB 100-150/day) or bring your own
Best time: Early morning before boat traffic
Tip: The southern end of Sunrise Beach has the best coral coverage and fewer swimmers
2. Koh Rok
Access: Speedboat day trip (THB 1,500-2,000/person including lunch and park fee)
Depth: 2-15 meters
What you'll see: Hawksbill turtles, giant clams, soft coral, massive schools of fusiliers and snappers, manta rays (rare, January-March)
Visibility: Up to 30 meters
Tip: Two islands — Koh Rok Nok has the better beach, Koh Rok Nai has the better reef on the east side
3. Koh Adang
Access: Longtail from Sunrise Beach (THB 100-200, 10 minutes)
Depth: 2-10 meters
What you'll see: Healthy hard coral, anemones with clownfish, reef sharks in deeper sections
Tip: Ask the longtail driver to drop you at the snorkeling point on the south side, not the main beach
4. Sunset Beach
Access: Walk from Walking Street (10 minutes)
Depth: 1-8 meters
What you'll see: Rocky reef with less boat disturbance, sea urchins (watch your feet), moray eels in crevices
Tip: Less visited than Sunrise, which means less silt and calmer water. Wear water shoes — rocky entry
5. Koh Hin Ngam (Stone Island)
Access: Part of most snorkeling day trips (THB 1,200-1,500)
Depth: 3-12 meters
What you'll see: Colorful soft coral, sea fans, leopard sharks on sandy bottom (morning), triggerfish
Note: The island beach has unique round black stones — do not take any (it's considered bad luck and is against park rules)
Diving
Koh Lipe has several PADI-certified dive shops on Walking Street. The diving is excellent — the national marine park protection means healthier reef than most Thai dive sites.
Discover Scuba (intro dive): THB 3,000-3,500 ($86-100). No experience needed.
Fun dives (certified): THB 1,800-2,500 per dive ($51-71). Two-dive trips common.
PADI Open Water course: THB 12,000-15,000 (~$343-429). 3-4 days.
Best Dive Sites
Stonehenge (8 Islands): Large underwater rock formations, barracuda schools, reef sharks. 15-25m depth.
Koh Lipe is Thailand's best combination of accessible snorkeling (house reef off the beach), excellent day-trip snorkeling (Koh Rok's visibility and turtles), and quality diving (national marine park protection).
For snorkelers who don't want to spend on boat trips, the Sunrise Beach house reef alone is worth the journey. For serious underwater enthusiasts, the Koh Rok day trip and the dive sites around the archipelago are world-class.
All of this, at Thai island prices, on an island you can walk across in 20 minutes. Hard to argue with that.
